Filter head for coffee makers



June 24, 1958 cfw. TRrrT 2,839,988

FILTER HEAD FoR COFFEE MAKERS Original Filed May 31, 1955A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 En EM IMI Il lilf'll. 5

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FILTER HEAD FOR COFFEE MAKERS Original Filed May 51, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l y Wiz WAI/Va( 2,839,988 l FILTER HEAD FOR COFFEE MAKERS K Charles W. Tritt, Long Beach, Calif. i

originar appuaaonMay 31, 195s, serial No. 511,957. Divided and this application September 4, 1956, Serial )10.607959 4 Claims. (Cl. 99-307) This invention is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 511,967, filed May 31, 1955, for an Automatic Colee Maker. y ,l 5,

This invention relates vto beverage brewers, and with particular reference to vbrewers of'. the` type used in restaurants and other commercial establishments vfor preparing large or repeated'quantities of a beverage, such as;coffee.

In beverage 'brewers in the type generally described above, lit is important that the equipment have capacity for producing coffee or other beverages of uniform quality;v `further, that, the brewing loperation proceed as rapidly as permitted by the;v nature of the ingredients used, and that the apparatus itself be so designed that the operation of replacingl one batch of cotee withanother may be expedited to avoid unnecessary delay. One vof the principalr objects ofthis invention is, therefore, to provide a novel automatic coffee maker which meets these requirements.

vAnother object of my invention is to provide an automatic cotee maker which has an improved cartridge of :simple and relatively inexpensive construction, and which iis adapted to be easily and quickly Vremoved from and .replaced in the apparatus. 5

A feature of my invention resides in the construction .of an automatic coiee maker which requires themini- .mum amount of labor Yto clean and maintain.

.Still another. object of my iriventionis to provide a novel automatic'coiee maken including a cartridge which will allow the water to flow through the coffee grounds :and filter and be able to drain dry so that the cup ,of colee grounds, or the like, is not wet, nor are'the Vgrounds diihcult to handle. Y y, l l f .Still another object' is toy provide a novel automatic coffee makerin which the cartridges are interchangeable in 2a single cartridge holder, while a good many cartridges can be filled in advance ready for use.

-Other objects,j advantages and featuresyof invention may appear-from 'the 'accompanying drawings, -the subjoined detailed descriptionfand the appended claims.

In the drawings:` fj a Y -Figurey 1 is aperspective view of' an automatic coffee maker-embodying myinvention. I

Figure-2 is a side elevation of mycartridge holder and cartridgewi'th I'parts broken away'to show interior construction.` I Y 2 Y f' Figure?, is a fragmentary side 'elevation of the supporting means forY the cartridge holder. l

Figure 4 isa' side elevation of thev decanter weighing device 'withl parts broken away to show interior construc t1on.V y? Y' Figure 5-is "a diagrammatic view showing the tlow ofV uid through the' coffee maker.

Figure 6 is a wirel ring diagram illustrating the electric circuitzofjtheicotee'makertf .I i.

-Referring more particularly to the'dra'wing's,- this .inf vention consists briey of a housing-j 1in which tliere'isv mounted two-water reservoirs 2 and 3 which have means for heating water contained therein; this heating means being electrical, aswill be subsequently'described The water is delivered from the reservoir 3 to the cartridge generally indicated at 4 through a pipe 5, which extends from the reservoir 3 to the cartridge in a manner which e will Ibe subsequently described. The colee is brewedin the cartridge 4 and is delivered into a decanter or container 6.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, the housing 1 con-` sists essentially of an inclosure'7, substantially rectangular in shape and having a hood 8 at the upper end thereof,

and a platform -9 at the lower end thereof. the hood 8 in-f cludes a lower wall 10 and the platform 9 has an upper wall 11. The reservoirs 2 and 3 are m-ounted within the rectangular housing 7 and are-suitably supported in the usual and well known manner. The water supply to the reservoirs 2 and 3 vis through a water pipe 12, thence through a strainer 13.through a pressure regulator 14y and an inlet valve 15, and thence into the first or preheating tank 2. The water, after being preheated in `the tankV or reservoir 2, passes through the pipe 16 and thence into the iinal heating reservoir 3. A 3-way valve 17 is mounted in the pipe 5 and has a drain pipe 18 extending to the sewer when the machine is not brewing coffee, therebyacting as a safety Valve and allowing no water to pass into the line leading to the cartridge 4- except when the device is brewing coifee. When the electrical system of the machine is actuated, as willV be subsequently described, the inlet valve 15 opens and they overflow valve 17- changes position, allowing hot water to run into the line extending to the cartridge 4.

The purpose of havingtwo water reservoirs or tanks Yis f that the first one (2) is a preheating tank, and the second., (3) is a high temperature tank. ,By this method I am able..Y to discharge hot water at a high temperature at a raterr adequate to supply a commercial quantity of clotfeetapf., proximately one gallon every four minutes). I utilize. y the usual volt circuit with 1450 watt electrical heating system and thus itis possible to utilize my coffee,4 maker on .the standard housing wiring system and does.'l

not require special.` heavy wiring. Y

The cartridge 4 consists ofgan inverted cup shaped body ,l

19 and with ,arperforated bottom or strainer 20. A sheet of tilter material .21 is Vplaced on the strainer 20 and the coffee is containedin the cupr19 above the lter 21. A

nippleor. tting 22 extends through the center ofthe cup 19 and `hot water ows through thisnipple and into the cup and through the coifee grounds therein, as will lbe 'further described.

yieldably mounted in the hood 10 thereof, as follows:

against the Ablock 24 and presses this blockrdownwardly against the coupling element 23. The block .24 is pro-. vided with a tapered seat 29 therein upon which the` coupling element 23 rests. Thu'sthe block 24 is spring .i pressed onto the coupling element 23 with a watertight y connection, so' that thel water -will ow from the pipe 5 'l through theelbow 26,`thence through the4 pipe '25 andA into the `coupling 23, the' nipple 22, and'thence 'into the t cartridge 4.V The bottom perforated strainer 20 of the cartridge 4 is vheld in position by a press fit so that. the'strainerV can ybe'removedin order to replenish lthe cof-K" feewithin thecartridge. .A cartridge holder 30 is "formed .Patented June 24, 1958' The nipple 22 includes ya tapered g coupling element 23 which ts into a block 24 which is 8 and on the bottom wallVV t 3 detachably mounted on the bottom wall of the hood 8 in the following manner:

Two or more pins 32 are mounted in a ring 33 which depends from the bottom wall 10 of the hood 8. The holder'30'fi'sttormed with bayonet slots 34 therein to receive the' slotsl 372-.` Itwill thus beevident that the holder water-V spilled therein will be retained. The receptacle 36 Y hasA a post *37 `depending therefrom; and this post. is mounted `in a sleevevbearing-38 which is mounted on a strap l39 attached to the bottom of the wall 11'. A spring 4t)` bea-rs` against the bottom of the receptacle 36 and tendstogurge `the receptacle upwardly. A drainpipe 41 extends downwardly from the receptacle 36 and is open `to thehollow or-dishportion'of the receptacle so'that water can be drained through this pipe. The pipe 41 extends through the strap 39, thusacting as an additional guide and positioninglelement for the`receptacle 36. A precisionswitch 42; commonly termed'a microswitch,

is mounted onA the strap-39 and the actuating plunger 43 ofthe switch'extends through the strap 39 and is` engaged by-the set screw' 44 which projects downwardly from the receptacle36. e

When the proper amountof coffee has ybeen delivered into the decanterl 6` the additional Vweight'of this coffee will compress the spring until the set screw 44 engages the plunger'43 to actuate the precisionswitch 42. y The electrical circuit of my coffee maker, as shown in Figure 6, consists `of the main incoming wires V45 and 46, and these wires extend to the main on-off switch 47. The le'ad45 extends to a busbar 48 and the lead `46extends to a `bus vbarril): Two additional bus bars andSl are provided and 'these `bus `bars arej all separated or insulated one from `the other.A A starter switch. 52V`is connected tojthe buses 48 and' ,50; as shown. Aipilot light 53 is connected tov Athe `buses50"`and49 ,asvshowmthus when the :main switch 47 is closedf and subsequently Vthe starter switch 52 is closed the pilot light `53! will go on and the electricalv system will start to' function' as follows:

Aiheating coil 54 is mounted in the reservoir 2 for theA purpose; of heatingthe water'therein. Similarlya` heating coil 55` is mounted in the reservoir 3.V The heating t coils 54arid 55are both electricallyl connected to the buses 48andf' 49 through-the leads 5 6, 57, 58"an'd 59; Since the main lead in wires 45 and 46 extend tothe buses 48 and 49, it will beevident that current willow throughthe coilsV 54 and SSwherleverthe Vswitch 47 is closed. A time clock. fis connected tothe buses 48, 'and-194 through the .leads4 61 and 62.M The time clock 60' Iopensand closes tllefcircuit to the; buses48 andV 491in the' usual1and well l known manner.` The timeclock also hasa starter lead 63 extending to` thebusS-andwhenever the starter switch V52'is closedfthe timeclock 60 will startl and `the starter switch isonly` held in a closed position long enough to start thettime elock60, and thereafter vthis clock will complete itscycle-land the'starter'switch-52 isrelea'sed and `thus moves-to an. open position.

function incompleted;V The Aprecision switch 42 has one t lead-,64.,extending to the bus: 49 and alsecond. lead 65 exv tendingto thev bus .5.1: The solenoid inlet valve ISI-andl the solenoid overowwalve 17 Hare both. connected through theleads 66 andA 67, respectively, to. thelbus 51.` These same solenoid: valvesare connected `tolthe bus 50. through y Inother words, the -starter switch 52 merely starts. thetime-clock60 and thereafterrits closed manually, current will be fed to the solenoids of the inlet valve 15 to open this valve, and also to the valve 17 to position this latter valve so that water flows through the pipe 5 to the cartridge 4.

In operation the main switch 47 is rst closed. This excites the bus bars 48 and 49. The starter switch 52 is now manually closed and held closed for about 5 or 10 seconds. While the starter switch is closed the time clock switch 60 is started and commences its cycle whereby the electrical circuit is heldtclosed for approximately four minutes, more or less. The electrical heatingl coils` V54 and 55 are both energized and water is heated in boththe reservoirs 2 and Y3. The purpose of having two water tanks is that the first one (2) is a preheating tank, and the second one (3) is a highV temperature tank. Water ows into the tanks through the incoming water line 12 and the connecting pipe 16. The solenoid valve 17 has been actuated so that hot water now ilows through the pipe 5 into the cartridge 4; The hot water flows over the coffee grounds in the cartridge and out through the screen 20, thence through the spout 31 and into the decanter 6. vWhen the proper amount of coffee has flowed into the'decanter 6 andthe weight of this co'ee will depress the receptacle 36 against'the ten` sion of the spring 40. Lowering of the receptacle 36 will open the prevision valve 42. As soon as the time switch 60 has reached its automatic opening position the electrical circuit is broken andY the heating elements 54 and 55 are no longer excited. At the same time the solenoid switch 17 moves to the position where water drains through the pipe 18` int'o'the sewer and, consequently, water does not flow to thecartridge unit 4i' Having vdescribed my invention, I claim:` Y

1. A cartridge for a beverage brewer including a housing, comprising Vthe'combination offan inverted cup shaped body open atthelower' end thereof, a perforated strainer removably mounted onthe lower end ofA said" body,va holder enclosing `said body andsuppolrtingthesame, a spout on the lower end of said holder,`means releasably mounting the holder on said housing, a tubular 4fitting on the upper end vof said body and openingl into the body, a block, means mounting the blo'ck in thehousing, and meansl'on the block releasably receiving' said tting with a sliding tit, a liquid conduit extending to said tting to conduct liquid through the r.fitting and into said body.

2. A cartridge for aV beverage brewer includinga housing, comprising the combination of an inverted cup shaped body open at the lower end thereof, aperforated strainer removably mounted on the' lower end of said body, a holder enclosing said body and supporting the same, a spout on the lower end of said holder, means releasably mounting the holder on said housing, a tubular fitting on the upper end of said body and opening into the body,

a block, means on the block releasably receiving said t" lit, a liquid conduit extending to said iitting to conduct liquid through the fitting and into said body. e

3. In a cartridge for a .beverage brewer including a housing, comprising the combinationof an inverted cup shaped body opent at the'lower end thereof,a perforated strainer, means removably mountingsaid strainer on the lower end of said body, aholder enclosing said body and supporting the same, a spout at the lower end of said holder through which liquid passes, means releasably mounting the holder on saidhousing, a tubular tittiug on the upper end -of said body andV opening into the body, a block, means mounting the block in the housing, said block having a bore therein releasablyreceiving said fitting with a sliding fit, an elbow, a liquid conduit connected tothe elbow, a pipe rising from the block and extending into said elbow, said pipe fitting-tin the elbow with a sliding fit: whereby liquid isf fed through the fitting and into saidf body.`

4. In a cartridge for a beverage brewer including a housing, comprising the combination of an inverted cup shaped body `open at the lower end thereof, a perforated strainer, means removably mounting said strainer on the lower end of said body, a holder enclosing said body and supporting the same, a spout at the lower end of said holder through which liquid passes, means releasably mounting the holder on said housing, a tubular fitting on the upper end of said body and opening into the body, a block, means mounting said block in the housing for ver'- tical movement therein, springs means bearing against said block and urging said block downwardly against said fitting, said block having a bore therein releasably receiving said tting with a sliding tit, an elbow, a liquid conduit connected to the elbow, a pipe rising from the block and extending into said elbow, said pipe fitting in the elbow with a sliding it whereby liquid is fed throughk theiitting and into said body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,879 Peters et al May 13,1947 912,634 Warburton Feb. 16, 1909 992,021 Marzetti May 9, 1911 2,013,172 Petrone Sept. 3, 1935 2,205,290 Herrera June 18, 19'40 2,558,521 Karlen June 26, 1951 2,615,385 Smail Oct. 28, 1952 2,783,704 Liebelt Mar. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 440,681 Germany Feb. 11, 1927 

